Change-over switch



p 16, 1941- J. TYRNER CHANGE-OVER SWITCH Filed March 20, 1940 IN VENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 16, 1941 CHANGE-OVER SWITCH Joseph Tyrner, Englewood, N. J., assignor to Air Reduction Company, Incorporated, New York,

N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 20, 1940, Serial No. 324,967

of, as hereinafter described. Secured to the top 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a change-over switch adapted particularly for use in connection with a motor-generator for supplying current to a welding circuit. The motors of such motor-generators are often of the delta and double-delta three-phase alternating current type adapted for connection to either a 440 or 220 volt supply circuit. With such motor-generators, different connections are necessary when the motoris supplied with 440 or 220 volts respectively, and the general object of the invention is to provide a new and improved change-over switch by means of which the desired connections may be made for operation at either voltage.

The change-over switch which is the subject of the present invention has the advantages, amon others, that an unskilled operator can move it from one position to the other, and that in either position the switch is not likely to be tampered with or carelessly moved to a position not proper for the particular voltage of the current supplied to the motor. Other advantages of the invention result from the simplicity of the construction of the change-over switch in which the invention is embodied.

The invention will be understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated a change-over switch embodying the invention, intended for use with a motor-generator having a three-phase alternating current motor intended to be connected to either a 440 volt or 220 volt supply circuit.

In the drawing, Fig. l is a plan view of a change-over switch embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof showing conductors extending from the bottom of the switch; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the switch with the dishshaped cover member removed; Fig. 4 is a view of the inside of the dish-shaped cover member; and Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

The base member of the change-over switch, which may be of metal, has an annular portion 6 having six upwardly projecting lugs 1 between which, on the annular portion of the base, note-'- tions such as "220 volts" and "440 volts may be provided as shown. Extending inwardly and upwardly from the annular portion 6 of the base member, are ribs 9 which support a central hub l0. Secured in and extending upwardly from the hub I0 is a threaded stud l2 adapted to receive a washer i3 and a nut ll for securing the cover of the ribs 3 and the hub III of the base member, is a disc I! of insulating material which may be rigidly attached to the base member by a nut I8 threaded upon the stud l2. The disc member ll serves as a support for a plurality of contact members the form of which and the manner in which they are yieldingly supported in a circular arrangement are best shown in Figs. 3 and 5. The outer contact members are preferably formed of copper tubing flattened and bent to the form shown. These contact members 20 are located in radial slots in the edge of the disc I1, and are retained in said slots by an annular plate 22 secured to the outer edges of the top of this disc I! by screws 23 which extend through the plate 22 and disc I! and into threaded holes in the ribs 9. Beneath the bent-over ends of the contacts l2, the disc I1 is provided with cavities adapted to contain springs 25 upon which the bent-over ends of the contacts 20 are yieldingly supported. Cables 28, adapted for the carrying of heavy currents, are secured to the tubular ends of the contact members 20. Also supported in circular arrangement by the disc ll, are contacts 28 which are mounted on rods 23 extending through the disc I! and provided be neath the disc with nuts 30 which serve to limit member of the switch to the base portion therethe upward movement of the rods 29 and provide means for connecting to the rods 23 currentcarrying conductors 32 of less current-carrying capacity than the conductors 26. Beneath the contact members 28, the disc I1 is provided with cavities adapted to receive coil springs 33 which yieldingly support these contact members 28. Thus, it will be seen that the contacts 20 and 28 are yieldingly supported on the disc IT, with the tops of the contacts in substantially the same plane.

Adapted to cooperate with the base member and to cover the contact-carrying disc I1, is a dishshaped cover member 35 having a central opening adapted to receive the stud H. The edge of the dish-shaped member 35 is adapted to engage the annular portion 3 or the base member, and is provided with outwardly extending lugs 36 adapted to cover the alternate spaces between the upwardly projecting lugs 1 on the base member, thus leaving exposed to view only one of the notations "220 volts or "440 volts, as will be evident from Fig. 1. Within the dish-shaped member 35 is a disc 31 of insulating material which may be secured to the dish-shaped member by rivets 33 or by any other suitable means. As

will be evident from Fig. 4, the disc 31 carries contact segments 40 adapted to cooperate with the contact members 20, and contact segments 4| adapted to cooperate with the contacts 28; and it will be obvious that such cooperation takes place in two ways depending upon the angular position in which the cover member is secured to the base member. Contact segments 40 and 4| are preferably made of copper and are secured to the disc 31 by rivets 42 and 43 or in any other suitable manner.

It will be understood that when the dishshaped cover member is secured in the position,

shown in Fig. 1, in which the notation 220 volts is revealed, the contact segments 40 cooperate with the contacts so as to complete circuits between the heavy conductors 26, while the contact segments 4| cooperate with the contacts 28 to complete circuits between the lighter conductors 32, appropriate for operating the motor generator from a 220 volt supply circuit; and that when the dish-shaped cover member is in the position in which the notation 440 volts is visible, the proper connections are made for operating the motor generator from a 440 volt supply circuit. In order to change the adjustment of the change-over switch from one position to the other, it is merely necessary to unscrew the nut [4 on the stud I2 sufiiciently to permit the dish-shaped cover member 35 to be lifted enough to allow the lugs 36 on the cover member to move over the tops of the lugs l on the base member, after which the cover member may be secured in its new position by screwing down the nut M. It will be obvious that since the contacts 20 are yieldingly supported by the springs and the contacts 28 are yieldingly supported by the springs 33, good contact between the segments 40 and the contacts 20 and between the segments 4| andthe contacts 28 is assured.

It will of course be understood that changes may be made in the construction of the changeover switch herein described, without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A change-over switch comprising a base member having an annular portion carrying upwardly extending radial ribs and a central hub supported by said ribs, a disc of insulating material having cavities therein and mounted on said ribs, springs in said cavities, contact members supported above said disc on said springs and adapted for connection to conductors, a dish-shaped cover member adapted to cover said disc and engage the annular portion of said base member, contact members secured to but insulated from the inside of said cover member and adapted to cooperate with the contact members supported on said disc, and means for retaining said cover member in any one of a plurality of angular positions on said base member.

2. A change-over switch comprising a base member having an annular portion" provided with upwardly extending lugs between whichon said annular portion are two sets of notations alternately arranged, a disc of insulating material mounted on said base member, contact members supported in circular arrangement on said disc and adapted for connection to conductors, a dish-shaped cover member adapted to 1 cover said disc and engage said base member,

said cover member being provided at its edge with outwardly extending lugs arranged and adapted to cover either set of said notations'on the annular portion of said base member, contact members secured to but insulated from the inside of said cover member and adapted to cooperate with the contact members supported on said disc, and means for retaining said cover member on said base member with the lugs projecting outwardly from said cover member located between the lugs extending upwardly from the annular portion of said base member so as to hide one set of notations and reveal the other set.

JOSEPH TYRNER. 

